First Listen: Paul Simon “Getting Ready For Christmas Day”

Kicking off with hearty stomps and an infectious groove, “Getting Ready for Christmas Day” is set for inclusion on [lastfm]Paul Simon[/lastfm]’s, upcoming studio album, So Beautiful Or So What This Christmas tune sounds like there’s some party noises in the background, but it’s actually a sample of preacher/gospel singer Reverend J.M. Gates, recorded in 1941.

According to Simon, this was produced by longtime producer/collaborator Phil Ramone, and is “the best work [he’s] done in 20 years.”